Validation of the Simplified Chinese Version of the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Short Form Among Cancer Patients

Liang Fu; Yan Hu; Zhenqi Lu; Yingfeng Zhou; Xiaoju Zhang; Victor T Chang; Yang Yang; Yang Wang

doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2018.03.024

Validation of the Simplified Chinese Version of the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Short Form Among Cancer Patients

J Pain Symptom Manage. 2018 Jul;56(1):113-121. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2018.03.024. Epub 2018 Apr 5.

Authors

Liang Fu¹, Yan Hu², Zhenqi Lu³, Yingfeng Zhou¹, Xiaoju Zhang³, Victor T Chang⁴, Yang Yang³, Yang Wang³

Affiliations

¹ School of Nursing, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
² School of Nursing, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: huyan@fudan.edu.cn.
³ Department of Nursing, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
⁴ Department of Medicine, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, and Section of Hematology Oncology, Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System, Newark, New Jersey, USA.

PMID: 29627566
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2018.03.024

Abstract

Context: Comprehensive symptom assessment is crucial for symptom management. The Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Short Form (MSAS-SF) has been validated for symptom assessment in cancer patients, but there is no simplified Chinese version.

Objectives: To present the validation procedures and results for the simplified Chinese version of the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Short Form (MSAS-SF-SC) among cancer patients in mainland China.

Methods: The MSAS-SF was translated and culturally adapted into simplified Chinese. About 359 cancer patients completed the MSAS-SF-SC, the Chinese Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General, the Chinese Brief Fatigue Inventory, the Chinese Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Chinese Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey. Reliability was assessed by internal consistency and test-retest coefficients. Convergent and divergent validity were analyzed by Pearson's correlation coefficients between MSAS-SF-SC subscales and the other instruments. Known-groups validity used Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-Performance Status, hemoglobin level, and primary site.

Results: The MSAS-SF-SC was reliable with Cronbach's alpha coefficients for subscales ranging from 0.782 to 0.874 and test-retest coefficients ranging from 0.819 to 0.872. MSAS-SF-SC subscales correlated with corresponding Chinese Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General subscales (-0.557 to -0.680; P < 0.001), Chinese Brief Fatigue Inventory (0.620; P < 0.001), and Chinese Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (0.663; P < 0.001) indicating convergent validity. MSAS-SF-SC subscales showed low or no correlations with the Chinese Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (-0.146 to -0.165; P < 0.01), indicating divergent validity. MSAS-SF-SC subscales showed appropriate differences by Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-Performance Status, hemoglobin level, and primary site.

Conclusion: The MSAS-SF-SC demonstrated good psychometric properties and is culturally adapted. The instrument could be a valuable tool for Chinese health care professionals and researchers.

Keywords: MSAS-SF; Validation; cancer; simplified Chinese; symptom assessment.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Validation Study

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Culture
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasms / diagnosis*
Psychometrics
Reproducibility of Results
Symptom Assessment*
Translating
Young Adult